Whispers In The Dark
by HardyBoyz4Eva
Summary: Jeff has been refusing intimate contact for over a month. Adam can't take it anymore, and crosses the line of no return with his best friend. His actions break his husband's heart. Can they be saved? Jedam, E&C. For JoMoFan-spot.
1. Chapter 1

_Title: Whispers In The Dark_

_Rated: T (Teen)_

_Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort_

_Pair(s): Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam_

_Summary: Jeff has been distant for weeks, blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can their relationship be saved?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, besides my OCs. I also do not own the song mentioned. _

_Warning: Slash!_

_A/N: This is for JoMoFan-spot. Hope you like it!_

_Part: 1/?_

**OOOO**

The kiss made his heart flutter and his stomach churn, because he knew what it meant.

For some reason, even if he knew what it meant, he couldn't force himself to be the first to break off. His best friend's warm eyes fluttered, and then he was forced to stare into the soulful orbs. He couldn't do it. He couldn't look him in the eye and lie to him. So, he allowed his eyes to slide closed. With his eyes closed, at least he could make-believe that that arms around him where Jeff's. He could almost smell the scent that seemed to stick to the man's skin, and feel his dominant body overtake him.

It should have never come to this. But it had been weeks since Jeff had touched him, let alone _look_ at him. And it wasn't like he had been the one to initiate the kiss. But it was still wrong, so _wrong_, and his mind's eye formed a very vivid image of how heartbroken Jeff would be when he found out what had happened. It didn't matter if it was only a kiss, or if he tore all of his clothes off and jumped into bed with Jay. He had turned his back on Jeff in his time of need. And that ate at him from the inside out.

Adam broke off and shoved his friend backwards, watching the look of confusion come over his face. Jay had never much liked Jeff – it wasn't that he had a problem with Jeff _himself_, but it didn't really help that every time they had a little problem Adam came running to Jay as if the world had ended. It didn't give Jay the best impression of their relationship. And Jay's number-one priority had always been Adam's happiness. Obviously, Jeff's neglect had taken its toll on him. The man's unquenchable libido hadn't been aroused in over a month!

Then, his phone vibrated on the coffee table. Adam didn't want to answer it. He knew who it was, and he didn't want to have to talk to him. If he talked to him, he would have to admit his mistake, and then all of this would be _real._ He was still trying to convince himself that it was all just a terribly vivid nightmare, and when he awoke he would be encased in Jeff's arms. However, he knew that it would only make Jeff more worried if he waited to answer it. So, he took a breath and accepted the call.

"Hey, baby!" He tried to sound cheery, but he failed miserably. He only succeeded in sounding painfully fake.

"_Addy, where are you? You weren't home when I came home with Daylee from daycare, but I saw your note. I didn't think you'd be out this late, though. Do you need a ride?"_ Jeff asked, concern evident in his voice.

Adam sighed, his mask of fake cheeriness gone. "No, baby, I'm… fine. I just got a little caught up in somethin', that's all. I should be home soon."

"_Good."_ You could hear the relief in his voice. _"You sure you're OK, baby? You sound upset."_

"I'm fine!" Adam responded a little too harshly.

Adam could hear the Charasmatic Enigma's breath hitch. _"Fine. I'll see you when you come home."_

Jeff sounded as if he was about to hang up, but Adam didn't want him to go to bed angry. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to lash out at you like that. I'm just… a little stressed out, that's all."

"_Whatever."_

With that, Jeff disconnected. Adam looked at his phone, dumbfounded, when it said that his husband had disconnected. Jeff had never hung up on him before. Tears welled up in his eyes as he chucked the phone at the wall as hard as he could, before he buried his face in Jay's chest. He didn't care that the other Canadian was probably the cause of all of his distress. All he cared about was the fact that Jeff would never forgive him for what he did, and he would leave, and take Daylee with him…

"Shh…" Jay soothingly ran his hand over Adam's long blond locks. "It's OK, baby. I'm here for ya…"

Adam was somewhat comforted by those words. It was true that the two used to entertain a relationship, but that had been thrown to hell the moment Adam first laid eyes on Jeff. Since then, all he had wanted was the Charasmatic Enigma's heart for his own. But right now, being nestled in Jay's arms felt pretty damn good. But he couldn't. He wouldn't do that to Jeff. His body, however, had other ideas. All he wanted was someone to love him, someone to show him a little affection. And Jay was more than happy to do just that…

Warm hands encased his hips, and this time Adam didn't refuse. He didn't so much as bat an eyelash as the other man's body hovered over his, lips coming to touch his in a passionate embrace. Jay was so much different than Jeff, but in that second, Adam was reminded of all of the things he loved about the other Canadian. It was so wrong, but (as cliché as it sounded) it felt so _right_. It felt right to be in the arms of someone who loved him and wanted to take care of him. It felt right to be _loved_.

With one well-placed bite to the crook of his neck, Jay muttered, "I'll make you feel better, baby-boy."

And Adam knew that he would.

**OOOO**

_A/N: So, how was it? I love Jeffy so much, it hurts me to do this to him. However, this was my attempt at an angsty love triangle between Jeff/Adam/Jay. I hope it turned out! Please review, it makes me want to write faster! Next chapter, Adam has to come face to face with his choices!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Title: Whispers In The Dark_

_Rated: T (Teen)_

_Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort_

_Pair(s): Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam_

_Summary: Jeff has been distant for weeks, blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact. It all started with a careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, and officially breaks Jeff's heart. Can their relationship be saved?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, besides my OCs._

_Warning: Slash!_

_Part: 2/?_

**OOOO**

Adam fumbled with his keys, more nervous than a boy about to pick up his first girlfriend for prom. It had taken him a half hour in the car just to work up the nerve to make it this far, to actually face what he had done. He had cheated on his husband. The man who had sworn to love him forever. Adam doubted that that vow included infidelity. And as much as he _didn't_ want to confess, he knew that it would only make the situation worse if he didn't. Finally, he found his key and unlocked the front door to their house. He entered inside and kicked off his shoes.

All of the lights were off. Had Jeff gone to bed already? Adam was a bit concerned at that thought, knowing that his husband didn't usually feel exhaustion until around 1:00 AM. Often, he would just lie in bed and think over the day, pretending to be asleep for Adam's sake. But as Adam rounded the corner into the kitchen, he didn't see even the slightest sign that the other man had been there. Everything was neat and orderly, and – not to say that Jeff wasn't neat – but you could always tell where he had been last.

The idea that his husband had already gone to bed was shot to hell the moment he entered the den, and his eyes settled on Jeff's muscular frame. There was only one light on, the one on the table beside him, and he was using it to read an old romance novel. The front cover was torn and the pages had started to turn yellow with age. For a moment, Adam entertained the idea that Jeff had not heard him come in. But then the multicolored man slammed the book closed and tossed it onto the end table.

"You're home late." It was all that Jeff said, but the look in his eyes told of betrayal and hurt.

"I'm sorry; I was at Jay's…" Adam trailed off. He looked down at his hands. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I lost track of time, that's all."

"I wasn't here to wait for you. I just wanted to make sure you came home OK. I'm off to bed; I'll see you in the morning." Jeff tried to end the conversation there, but Adam would have none of it.

"Jeff, don't be like this!"

Jeff's head snapped back to Adam, and his emerald eyes narrowed. "Like what, Adam?"

"Ever since that episode of TNA, you've been different. You've been pulling away from me. I can't take it anymore, Jeff! I need you to tell me what's wrong so that we can move past this. I need _you_." Adam felt tears burn at his eyes.

Jeff looked like he was about to break, until his eyes focused on Adam's neck. "Is that a… hickey?"

"What?"

"You said that you were with Jay…" Jeff trailed off, realization hitting him for the first time. "You cheated on me. You fucking cheated on me!"

Adam looked down. "You've been ignoring me, Jeff. Neglecting me. It hurts… it hurts _so_ much, because I feel like you don't love me. What am I supposed to think?"

"What are _you_ supposed to think? What am _I_ supposed to think? You think _cheating_ on me makes me feel like you love me?" Jeff hissed.

Adam honestly didn't know what he should have expected. It was like, ever since that episode of TNA, he had lost his Jeff and some other man had taken over Jeff's body. But Adam hated to see that look of total dejection in Jeff's eyes, like his entire world had caved in around him, he felt his heart break. He wished that he could turn back time and make it so that it had never happened, make it so that he had never turned to Jay. He wished that he had talked to Jeff first, but it don't like the other man would tell him what had caused his intial distress now.

"Just answer this, Adam. Did you ever love me? Did it make you fucking _happy _to break my heart?" And then, the unthinkable happened. Tears started to pour down Jeff's face, and the other man did nothing to stop them.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" Adam sneered. "Of course I loved you. I _still_ love you!"

"If you loved me, then you wouldn't have cheated on me."

Jeff looked as if all of the frustration, all of the infuriation, all of the _sadness_ that he felt were about to blow out. He was _shaking_, he was so mad. But he didn't move. He didn't speak. Slowly, Jeff took a breath and fell back down onto the couch. Soon after, he buried his face in his hands. He didn't want to look at the other man. If he looked at him, then he would break. The Charasmatic Enigma was many things, but weak wasn't one of them. And he refused to look weak in _any_ situation.

"I'm so sorry, baby." Adam knelt down in front of Jeff, gingerly taking the man's wrists in his hands. "I would never intentionally hurt you like this. I hate that I did this to you. Please… I'm so, _so_ sorry."

"You can say that you're sorry all you want. That doesn't make it better."

Adam could see the resolution in Jeff's eyes, and he knew that this was it. It was over. "Please, Jeffy." Jeff's emerald eyes turned to steel at the once beloved nickname. "It was an accident. I was just so broken, and I felt that you didn't love me anymore. Please, don't hate me. Please… don't leave me."

"You haven't left me with much of a choice, Adam." Jeff looked down, not bothering to try and break Adam's hold on his wrists.

"Jeff…"

"We're over, Adam." Jeff's voice trembled as he said the words. "I want you to leave."

"Jeff…"

"_LEAVE!"_ Jeff screeched, and Adam hurried to break his hold on the other man.

Adam moved as quickly as possible, not even bothering to take his stuff. Jeff didn't move from his position on the couch, but from the subtle shift of his shoulders, it was obvious that he was crying. It broke Adam's heart to know that he had done this to his husband. Not wanting to cause anymore damage to their already shattered relationship, Adam rushed out the front door and into the dark, cold night. He could only hope that, given some time, he and Jeff could fix this. Together.


	3. Chapter 3

_Title: Whispers In The Dark_

_Rated: T (Teen)_

_Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort_

_Pair(s): Jeff/Adam, Jeff/Mickie, Jeff Jarret/Karen Jarret_

_Summary: Jeff has been distant for weeks, blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, besides my OCs._

_Warning: Slash!_

**OOOO**

It had been two weeks since their last encounter.

Jeff winced as his back hit the floor, too exhausted to aim for the bench a few inches away. His entire body was sore, but all that mattered to him was that he won. His business with Jeff Jarret was done. Pain flared in his lower back, and the idea that he could head back home to Adam for a rub-down was short-lived. A different kind of pain came over him then, and the last of the adrenaline flowed from his veins like water. All he could do was lie there and stare at the tiled roof, while his brain formed that one question that would open a new door in their relationship… why? Why would Adam hurt him like this?

However, it would seem that his time of silent reverence would be cut short. A firm hand knocked on the door to his locker room, and after thirty seconds of the incessant tapping, Jeff knew that whoever it was wouldn't leave until they talked to him. With a moan, Jeff used the bench to climb back onto his feet. His back cracked as he slowly moved to stand erect, and he flinched. Jarret had certainly done a number on him. Trying to make himself as presentable as possible, he ran his hands through the knots in his hair and flipped it over his shoulder. He contemplated putting his shirt back on, but decided not to. It would take too much time.

When he finally opened the door, the last person he expected to see was Karen Jarret. In fact, he had kind of hoped that he would never have to see her face again. Her comments toward him had been rude and uncalled for – and they certainly _hadn't_ been scripted. Jeff could see the fury knotted in her face. And then, she drew her hand back and struck him hard on the cheek. Jeff stumbled back a bit with the force of the blow. What the hell? She moved to do it again, but Jeff moved out of the way seconds before her fist could connect. Instead, the momentum pulled her further into the locker room. Maybe that was what she had wanted from the start.

"What do you want, Karen?" Jeff asked, trying a little _too_ hard to sound hospitable. They both knew that they couldn't stand each other, so why bother with the pleasantries?

"I heard about your husband's unfortunate… _slip_. I just wanted to congratulate you on a job well done; I didn't think you could do it. Turns out you have a set after all." Karen sneered.

"My personal life is none of your concern -,"

Karen interrupted him. "Does it make you feel like even less of a man, knowing that you couldn't satisfy him? Does it eat you from the inside out to know that he had someone else touch him? That he liked it _more_? I hope it does. I hope you realize what you did to this company – that you could _never_ be _half_ the man that Jeff Jarret is!"

"And why is that?" Jeff asked nonchalantly. However, on the inside, all of his old insecurities were stirred.

"Because, unlike _you_, he can keep his woman satisfied." Karen countered easily.

Jeff felt tears burn at his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Not in front of her. He would let Steve handle her later. "I think that it's about time you leave."

"Fine." Karen said, before she started to walk toward the door. "Soon enough, this entire company will be six-feet-under. We'll bury it next to your marriage."

Jeff slammed the door closed behind him. What reason did he have for answering it in the first place? Slowly, he slid down the door and buried his face in his hands. For the first time that night, the tears fell. And they wouldn't stop. No matter how hard he tried to control himself, they just kept coming. Finally, after several moments of fighting the losing fight, he succumbed to all of it. The full weight of the situation fell on his shoulders, and the painful truth was that Karen Jarret had been one-hundred percent correct. Adam wanted Jay more – in fact, maybe he had never wanted Jeff at the start. Maybe that's all he thought Jeff was good for. A doll to be used and thrown away.

The Enigma could still remember when he was little and his mother used to read him stories about brave knights, his favorite had been Lancelot. But the question always arose about Guinevere. Did Lancelot steal her from Arthur, or was she never really Arthur's to begin with. And his mother would always answer in the same way. _Love is blind. It does not know race, gender, age… It is free. Anyone can love. But to be loved, and to accept that love, is entirely different. To trust someone with your heart is like handing over your all and expecting it to be broken. Just because your beloved broke your heart, doesn't mean that they aren't your soul mate… it means that they love you so, so much, and have no other outlet for that emotion._

Was that what had happened with him and Adam? Was there such a thing as _too much_ love?

**OOOO**

Mickie speared another bite of hamburger on the fork, before she handed it to the toddler. "There ya are, sweetie. Ya want some mustard… or ketchup?"

"Can I have some mustard, Auntie Mickie?" Daylee smiled at the woman sweetly.

"Sure, doll-face." Mickie smiled as the carefully dolled out the mustard.

It was late, and most of the other wrestlers had headed back to their hotels. However, Mickie had offered to watch Daylee while Jeff changed back into his street clothes. But that fifteen minute period had turned into a half hour, and then that had morphed into an hour. Daylee had gotten hungry in that time, so she had taken her to the consession stand. The toddler had already downed two small sodas, a hot dog, and half of a hamburger. Mickie didn't have much more money in her wallet. Luckily, Jeff came down at that point. He was shirtless and sporting a rather large scratch over his abdomen, but other than that he looked to be OK.

Daylee watched the man with her emerald eyes, looking tired but happy to see him all the same. Carefully, she chomped down on a French fry coated in BBQ sauce. Jeff watched her, not wanting to say anything. He was still a little overwhelmed by the rush of emotions that had attacked him in the locker room, but he thought that he had himself pretty much under control. _Thought_ being the operative word. The minute Mickie turned to him, a questioning look in her soft eyes, he broke. The metaphorical dam of tears burst forth, but somehow he managed to keep the sobbing under control.

"Mickie… Mickie, would you mind watching Daylee tonight? I swear I'll come for her first thing in the morning, I just… I need some time to think over some stuff." Yeah, that was really descriptive. But Mickie seemed to understand.

"Sure!" Mickie answered almost immediately. "What d'ya say, honey-bear? We'll have a Disney Princess marathon!"

"Yes!" Daylee cheered, and Jeff couldn't help but feel as if he'd been replaced.

Oblivious to the look of hurt on Jeff's face, Daylee scarfed down the rest of her burger and fries and climbed into Mickie's arms. The Knockout chuckled softly at the toddler's antics, before she stood and threw out the trash. Jeff watched all of this from where he sat at the table still. And then, Mickie came back and lowered Daylee to eye level with Jeff. Taking her cue, she planted a wet kiss on Jeff's nose. Jeff chuckled, before he kissed her forehead. And everything was OK again. Mickie shifted the toddler to her other hip, and little hands bunched the front of her button-down. It was an adorable sight.

"Jeff." Mickie said seriously. "She'll always need her Daddy. She loves you to death. But sometimes, little girls need girl time! Isn't that right, honey-bear!"

"Yeah!" Daylee cheered. "Will Auntie Mickie do my hair?"

Mickie nodded. "Sure, baby. I'll even do your nails." Then, Mickie leaned down and kissed Jeff on the cheek. The smear of her lip gloss stained his skin. "We'll see you tomorrow, then."

She left Jeff there, fingers pressing tentatively to the skin that had been kissed, wondering what she had meant.


	4. Chapter 4

_Title: Whispers In The Dark_

_Rated: T (Teen)_

_Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort_

_Pair(s): Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam, Jeff/Mickie_

_Summary:_ _Jeff has been distant for weeks, blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, besides my OCs._

_Warning: Slash_

_Part: 4/?_

_A/N: Please review! They make me want to write faster!_

**OOOO**

_Adam didn't know how long he had been standing outside of the house, but he did know that there was no way for him to enter inside. The door was locked and he had misplaced his keys, even if he could've sworn that they were in the pocket of these jeans. It had been five minutes since he had last tried to knock, but he doubted that anyone (anyone that was awake, anyhow) could hear it over the music inside. It wasn't too loud, but still…_

_Shivering, he tried once more to knock on the door. This time, voices sounded from within the house. A barely muffled chuckle, like bells, resounded afterword. And then, he heard the locks twisting on the inside. When the door finally opened, he came face-to-face with the infamous Cody Runnels. He looked different than how he remembered him, though. Older, maybe. _

"_Adam?" Cody sounded confused, maybe a little surprised. His blue eyes even widened a little bit. "Why are you here?"_

_Why was he here? This was his house, damn it! "I'm here to see Jeff. Is he home?"_

"_Nah. The old man's out with his lady and little Dayla. 'Said not to expect them back until real late." Cody answered nonchalantly. "Why?"_

"_Cody, babe, who's at the door?"_

_Adam's eyes widened. He knew that voice. It was the voice of his baby, his sweet little angel. But when the owner of that voice rounded the corner, he was met with the visage of a nineteen-year-old who had just been caught doing something rather inappropriate in the house while her parents were away. The first few buttons of her night shirt were undone, and there was a lovely hickey forming on her neck._

"_Who's this?" She asked, innocently._

"_I'm Adam Copeland, a friend of Jeff Hardy's. But, seeing as he's not around at the moment, I'll just come back later…" Why couldn't he say his married name?_

"_Oh…" suddenly self-concious, she held her shirt together with one hand and extended the other toward him. "'M Daylee James-Hardy… well, not anymore. As of last week, it's Daylee Runnels."_

"_James-Hardy?" Adam couldn't help but ask._

"_Yeah. As in Mickie James and Jeff Hardy." Daylee clarified._

_Adam felt his heart shatter. Jeff was __his__ husband, dammit! What was he doing with that Hardcore Country… he couldn't even finish that thought. He had to know for sure. "You really don't know me, Daylee? I don't look the least bit familiar?"_

_Daylee looked at him oddly. "Nope. Honestly, I've never seen you before in my life." _

_Daylee continued to talk, but Adam was no longer listening. How could this have happened? How could his baby not remember who he was? And Jeff… did he really mean so little to Jeff that he could turn around and run off with the first woman that expressed even the slightest interest in him? Tears poured down his face as he thanked them for their time, and hurried off into the darkness. Was he not good enough for Jeff? Was that it?_

**OOOO**

"Adam? Adam! _Adam!_" Jay called out to the other man, finally managing to startle him out of his dream. Adam sat up and looked around frantically, tears pouring down his face.

Adam looked to his best friend, before he broke, throwing himself into the other man's arms. "J-J-Jeff left me, and Daylee didn't remember me, and she was married and…"

"Shh, baby… it's OK. It was only a dream."

"But it wasn't a dream!" Adam didn't mean to shout, but he was so worked up and he couldn't seem to calm himself down. "It was too real to just be a dream."

"Shh…" Jay gently pushed him back toward the mattress, placing kisses over every inch of skin that was exposed. "Don't think about it too much, Adam. Just let me take care of you. Don't think about it too much…"

Jay started to nip at the hickey on his neck, while Adam blubbered on. "I want to see her. I want to see my baby-girl."

"Adam, it's 3:00 AM. I doubt that she's still awake…"

"I don't care! I need to see her, Jay…"

"Shh…" Jay moved so that his back was against the headboard, taking the other Canadian into his arms. "I'll make sure that you see her as soon as you can, baby-boy. You'll get to hug her and play with her… hell, you could even have a Disney Princess marathon. But you'll have to wait until normal humans are awake. OK?"

Adam shuddered, calmed by Jay's gentle touch. It wasn't the same as Jeff's, and it never would be. "You promise?"

"Of course. I always keep my promises."

Adam curled into the other blond's side, nestling his face into the man's neck. His scent overwhelmed him, reminding him of what they had before he had met Jeff. He didn't to hurt Jeff, he _never_ wanted to hurt Jeff. All he wanted was for Jeff to wrap his arms around him tight and to tell him how much he loved him, just like he used to do before that episode of TNA. But now, he had crossed that line and there was no going back…

Jay started to nip at that hickey once again, and this time, Adam let him. Adam could only hope that what Jay had told him was true, and that he would get to see his baby soon…

And with that thought, he allowed Jay to have him one last time…

**OOOO**

_A/N: Please, Please, Please Review! They make me want to write faster!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Title: Whispers In The Dark_

_Rated: T (Teen)_

_Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort_

_Pair(s): Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam_

_Summary: Jeff has been distant for weeks, blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, besides my OCs_

_Warning: Slash_

_Part: 5/?_

**OOOO**

Adam awoke the next morning to the sound of his cell phone buzzing on the bedside table. He really didn't want to answer it – right then, all he wanted to do was close his eyes and drift off into his dreamland, curling up into Jeff and… but then it clicked. It wasn't Jeff in bed beside him. It was Jay. And he wasn't in the house that he shared with his husband. He was in his best friend's house. And his baby wasn't in the room down the hall. That was merely a junk closet. So, with a heavy heart, he rolled over and answered the call.

"Hello?" He yawned, not entirely awake yet.

"_Do you want to see your daughter?"_ Adam's eyes widened as Jeff's exhausted voice came over the receiver, followed by the bubbly squeals of a hyperactive three-year-old.

"What?" Adam asked, not fully comprehending the question.

"_Do you want to see Daylee or not? It's a simple question with a 'yes' or 'no' answer, Copeland."_ Adam flinched at the use of his maiden name, but didn't comment on it.

"Of course I want to see her!" Adam exclaimed. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why the sudden change of heart?" He asked tentatively, not wanting to push Jeff into reconsidering his offer.

"_She's been asking for you."_ Was all that Jeff said, before a few seconds of awkward silence came over them. _"Where are you? We're in the car now, so I can drop her off soon."_

"Umm… I'm at Jay's house."

Silence.

"Jeff?" Adam asked tentatively once more.

"_We'll be there in fifteen minutes."_

Adam looked down at the warm blanket that covered his half-naked form, and then his eyes flickered to Jay's unconscious form beside him. "I'm really sorry, Jeff." He said after a minute.

"_I know._"

With that said, Jeff disconnected. Adam was at a loss for what to feel. Should he feel happy that he finally got to see his daughter after two weeks of separation, or should he be upset that he had once again (unintentionally) hurt his husband? He only wished that he knew what had set Jeff off in the first place, then maybe things would have never gotten this bad. Silently, he rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb the other Canadian. He needed to get ready if they were to arrive in fifteen minutes.

He threw on the closest set of clothes that he could find, which happened to be a wrinkled Rated-R T-shirt and some faded jeans. And then, he stalked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb the mess that he called his hair. He had barely had the time to put on some old sneakers before there was a knock at the front door. Jay was still dead to the world, so Adam went to answer it. And sure enough, there stood Jeff. His hair was back in a messy bun, void of the normal eccentric colors. Daylee had attached herself to his side like some sort of human sticker.

"Papa!" Daylee cried as she was eased into Adam's arms.

"Hey baby-girl!" Adam cooed, kissing her forehead.

Jeff looked between the two of them, before he frowned. If he wanted to avoid tears, he would have to leave _now_. "I'll be back for her around 8:30 PM, OK?"

"Jeff." Adam reached out to him with his spare hand, catching the sleeve of his hoodie. "Can't we… talk? Please, I just need a chance to explain -,"

"No."

The cold, detatched answer was all that he received, before Jeff stalked back to his car and drove off. Adam felt his heart shatter for the millionth time in the last few weeks. He had no chance to make it better. And this could very well be the last time that he saw his daughter… he knew that he would have to make it count. It would be a day with just the two of them – Jay would understand. And the first thing on his agenda was a Disney Princess tea party with Clifford, Mr. Fluffykins, and Mrs. Snugglekins.

**OOOO**

"Papa?" Daylee asked, breaking the silence for the first time.

"What is it, baby?"

It was now 6:30 PM. The two were stretched out on the couch, utterly exhausted from their day of fun. Daylee was stretched out across her father's lap, her head on his shoulder. Remarkably, she had been silent and still for the last twenty minutes or so. They had just sat there, enjoying the silence and being together. That, and the fact that **The Swan Princess** was now playing for the fifth time. He had never realized how much Daylee obsessed over that movie until now…

"Was I a bad girl? Is that why Papa left us?" Daylee asked, her pretty green eyes filling with tears. "I promise I'll be better. I'll even eat the icky green veggies if it'll make Papa come home."

Adam felt his own eyes start to fill with tears at that. "No, sweetie, no. You've been a perfect little angel…"

"Do you not love me no more?" Daylee asked in the most heartbroken voice.

"Of course not, baby!" Adam hurried to reassure her, tears streaking down his face. "I loved you since the moment that your Daddy and I brought you home from the hospital, and I _still_ love you. I'll love you no matter what."

"Do you not love Daddy no more?"

Adam stroked her dark brown curls soothingly. "I love your Daddy too."

Daylee blinked, tears streaking down her little face as well, confusion also apparent. "Then why did you make Daddy cry?"

Little did either know that Jay was standing just outside of the living room, listening to the entire conversation thoughtfully. He realized that he had been selfish in what he had done to Adam and Jeff's relationship, not even giving the Enigma a chance to explain before he pulled Adam into bed with him. And now, not only were Adam and Jeff suffering, but a blameless little girl was suffering as well. He didn't know how much she knew, but she obviously knew enough to think that her Papa didn't want or love her anymore. And that would break Adam apart…

But he also knew that he wouldn't stand down until Adam asked him too. Call it a foolish man's pride or something else entirely, but he couldn't help but feel as if Jeff had never _deserved_ Adam. He wanted him, he _lusted _after him… but after all that, why had he come back to Jay? Why had he always come to Jay when things went wrong? Because he trusted his best friend and ex-boyfriend to make things better. Whether Jeff liked it or not, he would always hold a special place in Adam's heart.

Jeff may have won one battle, but Jay was hell-bent to win the war.

**OOOO**

_A/N: Please Review! They make me write faster!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Whispers in the Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s): **Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam

**Summary: **Jeff has been blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact for over a month. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning:** Slash

**Part: **6/?

**OOOO**

Jeff did what he had said. In fact, he arrived a few minutes before the determined time. He knocked three times, before he rocked back and forth on his heels uneasily. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable here. After all, if Adam could move on from him so soon, who was he to ruin the other man's happiness? He wasn't bitter, just… heartbroken, hurt, betrayed – if only to name a few. But Daylee deserved to know her other father, so for her sake, he wouldn't hold out.

Adam answered the door, his eyes swollen and red-rimmed, as if he had recently cried. Jeff felt his heart twist uncomfortably in his chest, but he shook his head as if to tell it 'no'. He couldn't keep doing this if it meant renewed heartbreak and fresh hurt. He had made his decision. Adam had made his. But that didn't make the truth hurt any less. What had he done to deserve this? What had he done to make Adam cheat on him? Was he really that terrible of a husband… was he really that worthless of a man?

"_Please_, Jeff. Please talk to me. I can't be without you. I'll admit that I tried, but it didn't work. But if you won't do it for me, think of _Daylee_. She needs the both of us. So, _please_, if only for five minutes, talk to me." The twist in his heart vanished, and instead it shattered on impact. Adam sounded so heartbroken…

"Fine." Jeff bit out, trying to keep his voice from trembling. "I'll do it for Daylee. You have _five_ minutes."

"Thank you."

The two walked into the house and sat down at the kitchen table, both noticing the little one with Jay in the other room. She was coloring something very vividly. It kinda looked like a Martian, when one considered the green skin and antenae coming out of its head. But then Jeff noticed the little words written at the bottom of the paper, and couldn't help but let out a chuckle. It was _Jay_. That was his little girl! Adam seemed to notice it too, for he wore a little smile as well.

"So, what was so important that you had to tell me?" Jeff asked, his eyes downcast.

"A little over a month ago, you locked yourself up and threw away the key. You didn't make love to me, you didn't kiss me – hell, you didn't even _talk_ to me unless you had to. It hurt Jeff, it really did."

"You wouldn't understand."

"That's right. I _don't _understand." Adam hissed. "It hurt me beyond belief to wonder about you every day. Were you out with another man, or maybe a _woman_? Did someone physically or mentally hurt you, or _both_? I had to wonder about this all the time because you wouldn't let me in…"

"So, this was your brilliant plan, huh?" Jeff narrowed his emerald eyes at the other man. "To sit me down and pin every problem in our relationship on _me_. It doesn't work like that, Adam. I wasn't the one who cheated!"

But Adam just continued. "You made me feel alone, unappreciated, and unloved. You made me feel abandoned and worthless. I turned to Jay because he made me feel like I _was_ worth something."

"So, basically you're calling me a worthless excuse for a man. Thanks so much for this little pep talk, asshole." Jeff frowned, feeling his anger start to rise. "I think we're done here."

"No, Jeff, we're not." Adam said.

"You think that you can _make_ me sit around and listen to the rest of this shit? I don't think so."

"You're not a worthless excuse for a man, Jeff. I'm trying to say that I'm sorry for what I did, but maybe the blame isn't entirely on me. Why can't we just put this behind us and move on?" Adam asked, letting his hurt and sadness leak into his voice.

Jeff looked him over for a minute. "Your five minutes are up. Daylee, it's time to go home!"

But the three-year-old would have none of that. She marched out of the den and into the little dining area, a serious look on her little face. When Jeff reached for her, she immediately reached for Adam and latched onto him as if he were her lifeline. Jeff tried to come a little closer, but she shrunk back and tried to hide behind Adam's leg. Adam saw the look of hurt confusion on Jeff's face and tried to lure her closer, but she would have none of it. She wanted to stay with her Papa.

"C'mon, baby. It's time to head home." Jeff said quietly.

"I don't want to go home with you." Daylee said seriously. "I want to stay with Papa and Uncle Jay."

Jeff frowned. "Sweetie, I'm sure that Papa is very busy. Maybe next time you come over you can have a sleepover. Besides, Sylvester is awfully lonely without you home."

"I hate you. I want to stay with Papa and Uncle Jay." Daylee repeated, firmer this time.

Jeff's emerald eyes widened and began to fill with tears. Did she really mean that? Did she really hate him? All he wanted to do was hold her and take her home, and she said that she hated him. He flinched back as if he had been burned, slowly climbing to his feet. He looked back to Daylee one last time, who had taken the time to climb into Adam's lap and snuggle down. He took a deep breath, trying to make sure that he wouldn't break down in front of them. And then he started toward the door.

"If she wants to stay here, fine. I'll come back for her after TNA tomorrow."

And Adam was forced to watch as Jeff walked out of his life, again.

**OOOO**

**A/N:** So, what did you think. I love reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s):** Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam

**Summary:** Jeff has been blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact for over a month. It all started with one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash, Violence

**Part: **7/?

**OOOO**

Jeff rolled on the canvas, pain flaring in his lower back. The missed Swanton Bomb had set his entire body on fire, and he couldn't force himself back up. However, it seemed as if AJ Styles didn't have a problem with forcing him to his feet. Seconds later, his head met the pole and his vision swam. He felt warmth blossom from his temple, and it took him a moment to realize that he was bleeding. The ref came over and asked if he could continue. He was barely able to mumble a 'yes.'

And then, he was down on the concrete. He didn't even know how he had made it from the ring to the ground, but he was fairly certain that AJ had thrown him. He hissed as he tried to stand, only for a hand to meet his shoulder and to throw his exposed side onto the steel stairs. Those same arms lifted him and rolled him back into the ring. Once more, the ref asked him if he could continue. His breath was labored, he couldn't force out the words, so he nodded. The ref rolled around as AJ pinned him, but he kicked out at two.

Finally, Jeff was back on his feet. He tried for the Twist of Fate, but missed. Instead, AJ hooked him for the Backbreaker. It hit Jeff square in the back, right where he had landed for the failed Swanton Bomb. Again, the ref asked if he could continue. He choked out a 'yes'. AJ, now frustrated that he couldn't get the upper hand, tossed him over the side of the ring again. His back hit the barrier – more abuse to the now-swollen area. The crowd cheered his name, but he knew when to stay down.

AJ hauled him back into the ring and held him down for the three count. The bell was rung, and the ref raised his hand in victory. The crowd jeered him as he rolled out of the ring and walked off. But Jeff remained, slowly blinking that the bright lights, in unimaginable pain. He was too dizzy to move, and his back was too swollen to try it on his own anyway. The ref called in the medical team, but Jeff was too dazed to care. What he wanted right now was Adam, but Adam didn't want him…

Distantly, he heard plans to take him to the nearest hospital. Severe blood loss… possible head trauma… x-rays were needed to see the full extent of his back injury… call his emergency contact. He felt them strap a brace around his neck, before he was lifted onto the stretcher. His last thought was that Adam was his emergency contact, and that their most recent conversation had been less than a walk in the park. But then everything became fuzzy, and all around him faded to black.

**OOOO**

"Jeff, sweetheart?" Jeff's emerald eyes slowly blinked open, and he came face to face with his husband. "Thank God you're awake. I was so worried. How do you feel?"

"Like someone ran a steamroller over my chest and left a hot iron on my back." Jeff whispered. "Why are you here?"

"I'm sorry." Adam looked down at the white-washed floor. "If you want me to leave, I will. I just wanted to make sure that you were OK, that's all."

"No!" Jeff forced out. "I… I want you here."

Adam nodded slowly. "OK. I'll stay."

Not really realizing what he was doing, Adam reached for Jeff's hand and clasped it tightly. Jeff let him. Jeff's emerald eyes were closed, his breathing nice and even, but Adam knew for a fact that he was not asleep. He would often be like this when he was thinking hard about something, and then Jeff gently squeezed his hand. When he opened his eyes again, they were glazed over with fresh tears. He shifted a little bit, ignoring the burst of pain in his lower back. It was nothing compared to the hole in his heart.

"I'm sorry, Adam. This… all of this… it's my fault." Jeff hissed out, squeezing his eyes closed again. "I am worthless, because I promised to never hurt you, and I did just that. I abandoned you, and I _deserved_ everything that you did. You should never feel the need to say 'I'm sorry'."

"Jeff, where is this coming from? You're not worthless! You never deserved _anything_ that I did!" Adam exclaimed, tears springing to his eyes.

"Karen Jarret told me, in front of a live audience, that you didn't think that I was a man. And I didn't believe a minute of it, because you would _never_ do that to me. I didn't doubt you, I still don't. But she just went on and on, and I couldn't help but feel a little insecure. I was hurt and I felt betrayed. And then you cheated on me…"

Adam's eyes widened. "I would never say that, baby. I would never hurt you like that."

"I know that, Adam. But you did hurt me. And I thought that she was right. If I couldn't keep you satisfied, what kind of man was I?" It was Jeff's turn to look down at his hands. "And then, Karen came back. She rubbed salt into the open wound. I realized then that I deserved everything that you had done, and I wouldn't blame you if you did it again. I wouldn't blame you if you chose Jay over me."

"Don't say that, Jeff."

"I don't want to hurt anymore, Adam." The tears streaked down Jeff's face slowly. "I just want to hear you say that you love me…"

Adam was now crying as well. "I _do_ love you, Jeffy."

"Say it like you mean it!"

"I _do_ mean it!"

Jeff fell silent for a moment, letting his emerald eyes fall closed again. He thought back to yesterday, when his own daughter had turned on him. His whole family had turned on him. The tears continued to fall, even as he fought to calm himself down. There was no use getting himself all riled up for nothing. He needed to do this, for Adam's sake. Adam deserved so much better than he could offer him. He had hurt Adam, after all. Adam needed Jay, and Jeff would prove it to him.

"You say that you love me…" Jeff trailed off, his eyes still closed. "…but why was the first one you turned to Jay? You still love him. You still want him. And I'm… I'm O-O-OK with that."

"No, you're not Jeff."

Flinching, Jeff moved back in the bed so that sitting upright in bed. White hot pain shot through his entire back, but he forced down his reaction to look Adam in the eye. He didn't want to do this. He knew that this would break him. But if Adam was happy, then nothing else mattered. So, he forced a smile onto his face. Adam returned it hesitantly. Adam honestly didn't know what to expect, when Jeff smiled like that. Jeff squeezed Adam's hand again, before he spoke again.

"He makes you happy. I hurt you. I… I want you to be with him. So, please, m-move on."

"You're not honestly breaking up with me, are you Jeff? Not after everything is finally out in the open! You can't do this to me, to us! I love you, damn it. You don't hurt me. You make me happy. I don't want to be without you. I _can't_ be without you." Adam almost whined.

"It's over, Adam. I'm sorry." Jeff tried to keep a steady hand as he took off his ring and put it on the bedside table. Adam's eyes followed his every movement.

Adam left before another word could be shared, and when the door closed, Jeff finally allowed himself to fully break down. It was really over…

**OOOO**

**Dear Jay ~**

**I can't do this. I still love Jeff, and whether he wants to get back together or not, I refuse to hurt him again. Now, I realize the reason for his distance, and just how hurt he really is. We need time to fix things before a serious decision about our relationship is made. I don't care if he says we're over or not. We're not over until ****both**** of us agree we're over, and I believe that there is still a chance. So, until that time comes, I can't live with you. It's too much temptation to stray from Jeff.**

**Daylee and I have moved into a hotel until further notice. I'm going to talk to her about what she said to Jeff, and hopefully get to the bottom of her problems as well. We're a family, and we need to start to pick up the pieces ~ together. You've been a wonderful friend to me, and there will always be some sort of remnant of affection from our days together. But right now my main focus is putting Jeff back together. I hope you understand.**

**Your Friend,**

**Adam Copeland-Hardy**

It was extremely late when Adam checked into the hotel, a sleeping toddler in his arms. His room was on the third floor at the far end of the hall, and he tucked her into the spare twin bed underneath the window. She didn't even stir. In fact, she snuggled the blankets further around her and absently reached for him. He smiled a little at that. And then he remembered that, on the way out of the hospital room, a nurse had handed him a stuffed cat. It was a model of Sylvester from Looney Tunes, Daylee's favorite show.

"_Mr. Hardy said that he wanted you to have this, Mr. Copeland-Hardy."_

He pulled it out of his bag and laid it in bed next to the toddler. Jeff must've brought it with him to TNA, probably for moral support. And then he thought back to the sight of his husband, laying there in that hospital bed. The doctor had said that it took fifty-five stitches to close his forehead. He flinched at the unbelievable number. And he couldn't wait for Jeff to get better, because he knew that they would need to talk about this again. He could see how much those words had hurt his husband. He only hoped that he could convince him that he still loved him and only wanted _him_ before even more damage was done…

**OOOO**

**A/N:** Wow, I'm really on a roll here. Two updates in one day! Anyway, please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s):** Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam, HHH/HBK

**Summary: **Jeff has been blatantly refusing intimate contact for over a month. It's all because of one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But then, Adam crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash

**Part:** 8/?

**OOOO**

Jeff looked at the clock on the bedside table. 9:00 AM. So, it had been another night without Adam. It had to have been two and a half weeks since he had last held the blond, so it had to have been two and a half weeks since he had had a restful slumber. He flinched when the nurse thrust open the curtains, allowing bright, white light to flood the room. Then, she turned to him with a small smile. Taking the clipboard from the end of the bed, she took down his vitals and other miscellaneous information. And then, she motioned toward the door.

"You have a visitor, Mr. Hardy. He seemed quite anxious to meet with you." Absently, Jeff wondered if it was Adam. "Would you like me to let him in?"

"Sure." Jeff rasped. What harm could it do? Before the nurse left, she moved his container of fresh water closer so that he could reach it easily. "Thanks."

Jeff must've dozed off between then and now, because when he opened his eyes again, a very agitated Jay Reso was standing at his bedside. OK, so this hadn't been exactly what he was expecting. He fixed the blond man with his best glare, but much of the heat behind it had been lost due to the pouding pulse in his left temple. He had heard about the fifty-five stitches… and something about a minor concussion… but he didn't like to dwell on them. Jay returned his sentiment with a scowl.

"What do you want, Reso?" Jeff hissed, his throat still dry.

"You think that you can manipulate Adam like he's some sort of puppet?" Jay snarled. "He's _real_, Hardy. He has a heart, and it's broken – because of _you_. He has emotions, and their a mess – because of _you_."

"You think I don't know that?"

"So, what? Do you _enjoy_ making his life hell? Cause it sure does seem like it!"

Jeff narrowed his emerald eyes at the other man. "Could you please leave? I already have a killer headache and your voice isn't making it any better…"

"You're really funny, Hardy. You think the whole world is your little toy. We're just disposable. Well, it doesn't work like that." Jay was so mad that his face was red, and the damn Hardy wasn't even _looking_ at him! "You love Adam. I love Adam. But let's face it, the better man won out in the end."

Jeff flinched at the words, even if he knew that they were true. He had hurt Adam, therefore he didn't deserve him. "You're right, Jay. The better man did win in the end."

This seemed to confuse Jay. "What?"

"I told him that it was over. He should go back to you. You two deserve each other."

Jay was silent for a moment, before a smile curled over his lips. This had been easier than he had first thought. "That may be the best decision you've ever made, Hardy."

With that said, Jay left. He left Jeff alone to wallow in his misery. His heart hurt, almost as if someone had driven a stake through it repeatedly, and had just left him there to die. Even his own daughter wanted to stay with Jay… and what made it worse was that all of this was _his_ fault. It could have been avoided so easily. And then he would be back at home, playing 'pony' with Daylee, and suffering through Adam's cooking. The man liked to eat, but he couldn't cook to save his life. That made Jeff smile.

He reached over toward the phone, only one thing on his mind. Release. He wanted out of this damn hospital, sooner rather than later. The number he dialed was familiar – the same number he dialed whenever he needed a last-minute babysitter for Daylee. It was Mickie James' number. He only hoped that the Hardcore Country star was around… it was a little early to try and get ahold of any of the TNA roster after a show. But with a little bit of luck on his side (for once), Mickie answered after the third ring.

"_Hello?"_ She asked.

"Mickie? I need your help…"

**OOOO**

"Thanks again for the extra assistance, Carolina." Adam offered the young woman a smile, which Carrie returned. She carried Daylee in her arms. And it was obvious that the toddler loved her.

"Not a problem, Uncle Adam. You're fun to shop with. Shawn-Dad's like a big kid, always throwing stuff into the basket when he thinks Hunter-Dad isn't looking. And Hunter-Dad always puts it back on the shelf when he thinks Shawn-Dad isn't looking. It's all very tiring."

"I can imagine…"

Carrie set Daylee on the bed and cued up the new Disney Princess movie, a limited edition DVD that was about to go back into the vault. Really, what was the point of the vault when you could always buy it on Ebay? Carrie shrugged, before she pressed play. As soon as Belle's voice came over the (very, very) powerful speakers, the toddler shot up like a rocket and climbed into Carrie's lap. Lazily, she started to suckle on her thumb, making small noises to show that she was thirsty.

Adam handed her the sippy-cup. "Here's some apple juice. It's her favorite."

"Thanks." Carrie smiled, before she held it to the toddler's mouth.

They sat for a few minutes in silence, simply watching as Belle decorated the Beast's castle for Christmas. Daylee swayed along to the music, still drinking her Juicy-Juice. She looked so cute, with her brown (borderline black) hair pulled into two tiny pigtails and her wide, emerald eyes focused on the screen. But Adam couldn't focus on the movie. It wasn't even because of his usual excuse, which was that he couldn't stand the Disney Princesses. Really, his love was watching Looney Tunes with Daylee. Jeff usually watched the princesses with her, but he wasn't much better with them either… (and Daffy Duck reminded him too much of Bobby Roode).

"Carrie?" The red-head raised an eyebrow to show that she was listening. "Do you believe in second chances?"

Carrie knew exactly what he was talking about. "I believe that, if it's with the right person, I'd give them a million and one chances. Because you never want to say that you let the one who loved you, more than you loved _them_, walk away…"

**OOOO**

**A/N:** Another chapter! Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I don't know what's up with me lately. This is… what? The fourth update in two days? But I'm really liking the direction that this story is taking and I honestly can wait for my normal update schedule. So, here's a nice, long addition. Hope you like it!

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated:** T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s): **Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam

**Summary: **Jeff has been blantantly refusing any kind of intimate contact for over a month. It is all because of one careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, he crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking Jeff's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash

**Part: **9/?

**OOOO**

Jeff watched as Matt walked around the kitchen, a bowl of cold beef stew in hand. Somehow, Mickie had contacted his older brother and filled him in on the entire situation. Needless to say, Matt was livid. But he wasn't only mad at Adam. He could understand why Adam did what he did, but that didn't make it any better. So, he had come over to take care of his baby brother in his time of need. Well, after he cussed him out for leaving the hospital against medical advice, that was. Jeff's head still hurt from _that_ conversation…

Jeff hadn't said a word since they arrived home. His brother had helped him over to the couch, which was where he currently resided. He was dizzy and disoriented, but he chalked that up to the concussion. It wasn't like he wasn't used to dealing with injuries. All he would have to do was kick back and relax for a few days, and then he would be back to normal. Until then, Matty could do all of the heavy labor for him. Jeff smirked at the idea. His favorite pastime was to drive his brother crazy, after all.

The older Hardy came back a few minutes later, looking totally domestic (and _sooo_ uncomfortable) in an apron with his hands covered in hot-pads. His hair was even tied back! Jeff couldn't help but snicker, trying desperately to hold back his merth and failing miserably. With every poorly contained chuckle, Matt's glower grew more and more deadly. Finally, he managed to contain himself and shifted a bit so that he could set the warm bowl on his stomach. Pain flared in his lower back, and it took him a moment to control it. And then, he started to eat.

"You're a real idiot, Jeff. What if your concussion becomes worse?" Matt chastised him softly. There was no real malice behind his words, just concern.

"I'll be fine. Now, do me a favor and hand me the bottle of Tylenol." Jeff rasped, his voice hoarse from underuse.

Matt rolled his eyes. "You're out, or didn't you remember that? You haven't been back at the house for two weeks, and you kicked Adam out! Your food is rotten, your trash needs to be taken out, your dishes need to be done, all of your plants kicked the bucket…" Matt continued on.

"Damn it." Jeff choked out, before he fell back against the pillow. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to fall shut. "At least tell me we have some ice for my head. It's fucking _killing_ me."

"That's your fault, idiot. You left before the doctor could give you a pain perscription."

"What was that about ice?"

"Like I said before, _moron_, you haven't been in the house in two weeks. There is, quite literally, nothing here. Not even ice cubes." Matt said.

Green eyes widened and rolled, before Jeff set the bowl of stew on the coffee table and slowly started to roll on his side. A series of pained grimaces crossed his face as he did so. Finally, when he reached the desired position, he pulled out his wallet and handed his brother a twenty. Matt looked at it as if it had just come off of a spaceship, claiming to be an alien from Mars, who wanted to take over the planet. Jeff stuffed the wallet back into his pocket, before he fell onto his back with a huff. That little movement had exhausted him.

"Take that and go buy me a damn ice pack. Maybe you'll have some left over, and you can pick up some Tylenol while your at it." Matt didn't even flinch. "I don't hear footsteps…"

"Ungrateful little brat…" Matt muttered as he stalked over to the front door. "…didn't even thank me for the damn stew. Should learn some damn manners…"

Honestly, Jeff couldn't have cared less about what his brother was saying. The exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him, and his eyes felt as if someone had left two-ton weights on them. He barely had the energy to reach for the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and to throw it on top of him. He didn't even realize that it was Daylee's baby blanket. And then, he finally allowed his eyes to fall closed for good. The true power of his exhaustion attacked him out of nowhere, and he was asleep before he could realize it.

_It was a clear, warm afternoon. The kind of afternoon where the sun was so bright that you didn't have to look at it to be blinded by it's rays. The kind of afternoon spent with friends and loved ones. But that afternoon, Jeff was alone. He had opted to be alone, not wanting to spend time with his brother Matt and his girlfriend, Amy. Well, fiancee now. All he wanted to do was wallow in the misery of his break up. It didn't matter that it had occurred almost… what was it, three years now? It didn't matter. The wounds were still fresh._

_But that afternoon, there was commotion in their small, quiet suburban town. A new family had moved in next door, between Jeff's house and the Slater residence. It was said that the two were stars for the WWE, one a retired wrestler and the other recovering from an injury. And, apparently, they had the most adorable six-year-old child that the women had ever seen. She was cute and playful, but when she smiled… Jeff thought back to his own daughter, Daylee. He hadn't seen her in over a year, and it was killing him._

_Curious as to the identity of his new neighbors, Jeff happened to look over the small dip in the fence one day while he was taking his trash out. A cold, unwelcome lead-like feeling settled into his gut. He knew that long blond hair all too well. That lean figure, muscular but not overtly so, could only be owned by one man. But it was confirmed when he saw the child in his arms. Those brown curly pigtails were unmistakable. It was his ex-husband and his daughter. But who was this other man?_

_His question was answered seconds later, and he did not like the answer. Jay Reso came out of the house, carrying a box of outdoor toys for the six-year-old child. She squealed with delight, leaping out of Adam's arms and running over to Jay. The other blond Canadian handed her a pale and shovel for her sandbox, and some bouncy balls. There was even a little mesh basketball for the miniature basketball net set up in the corner. She thanked him in an excited manner, before she pecked his cheek._

"_I love you, Daddy." She said. _

"_I hate you. I want to stay with Papa and Uncle Jay."_

_Jeff's head started to throb. He raised his hand to his temple to try and massage away the pressure, but flinched back when a sticky, coppery substance leaked over his fingers. Blood. He was bleeding. He flinched when the sudden pain came again, this time much harder. It felt like Triple H had taken the sledgehammer to his head. But he couldn't remember what had happened. Anything that had transpired before that moment in time started to become fuzzy, and then, that moment started to become fuzzy… and then it all faded to black._

"ADAM!" Jeff awoke with a start, drenched with sweat, with a terrible headache. The first thing he did was check for blood. Luckily, there was none.

Confused, he slowly fell back against the sofa cushion and felt his eyes start to fall closed again. He didn't want to go back to sleep, he didn't want to dream. If his last dream was any indication of what his dreams would be like, then he never wanted to dream again. His stew was now cold, not that he had the stomach to eat it anyway. He forced his eyes open, only for his headache to quickly become worse. So, he reached for his glass of water. Seconds later, his hand was trembling so badly that the glass fell out of his hand and shattered on the floor.

"Shit." Jeff knew that he would have to clean up the mess before Matt came home and cussed him out for it. But the minute he rolled off of the couch, he was done. He couldn't move.

His eyes fell closed one last time…

**OOOO**

"NO!" Daylee screamed as Adam tried (and failed) to bathe her. Jeff was really so much better at this. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! LET ME OUT!"

"Sweetie, you have to take your bath. Just five more minutes and then you can dry off…"

"I WANT DADDY!" Daylee screamed as loud as she possibly could, and Adam knew that there would be complaints from the room next door. But as hard as he tried, he couldn't calm her down.

"Baby-girl, Daddy can't be here right now." Adam said. "He has some booboos and they need to be taken care of at the hospital. But I promise, as soon as he is better he'll come home and we'll be a family again. OK? We'll all be together and happy."

Daylee let out a soft snifle, but calmed down enough so that Adam could finish with her bath. As soon as she was clean, he pulled her out of the now-cold water and wrapped her in a towel. He pulled out some fresh pajamas, which he had picked up at the store earlier that morning, and put them on her. And then, the two walked back into the main hotel room. He tried to set her down on the other bed, but she wouldn't have it. So instead, he set her down on the other bed and climbed in beside her. Slowly but surely, the two fell into a peaceful slumber…

**OOOO**

**A/N:** Well, here's _another_ chapter. I promise more with Adam next. So, any ideas as to what's wrong with Jeff?


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s): **Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam

**Summary: **Jeff has been blatantly refusing intimate contact for over a month. It was all due to a careless comment by Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, he crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking his husband's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash

**Part:** 10/12

**OOOO**

The next day, Adam awoke to the sound of his phone ringing. It was an oddly familiar feeling. Slowly, he started to roll over in order to answer it, but quickly found himself unable to move very far. Sometime during the night, Daylee had climbed on top of him and had settled down on his stomach. She looked so peaceful lying there, contently sucking on her thumb as if she didn't have a care in the world. Adam didn't have the heart to move her. So, he settled back down and let her rest. Soon enough, the call went to voice mail.

Around noon, Daylee finally decided that it was OK to wake up. It was a trait that she had undoubtedly picked up from Jeff – the man who loved to sleep until noon and keep Adam up until 1:00 AM. She slid off of Adam, off of the bed, and onto the floor. With her Sylvester plushie clutched firmly in hand, she walked over to the basket of stuff that they had bought at the store the other day. Pulling out a DVD, the plastic wrapping already off, she tottered back to the bed and put it next to Adam.

"Papa!" Daylee called, unable to climb back onto the bed without assistance. "Papa, it's time to wakey-up! Movie time!"

"Wouldn't you much rather go back to sleep, baby?" Adam asked, his eyes still closed.

"No!" Daylee exclaimed loudly. "I wanna watch movie _now_!"

"Is that any way to ask for something?"

Daylee blinked back the tears that were readily forming. "Papa doesn't want to watch movie with me?" She asked, her voice squeaky.

Adam flinched. "Don't be like that, baby, _please_. I didn't get a lot of sleep and I have a killer headache. We'll watch your movie in a few hours, OK?"

Daylee didn't answer him. She just walked away. Sitting down in the corner of the room, she pulled her Looney Tunes plushies out of the basket and started to play with them. Adam recognized a few of them from when she was a baby. Jeff had gone a little crazy at the store and had bought her _all_ of the baby Looney Tunes dolls. But many of them were new, like her Sylvester doll. Jeff had bought that for her to keep her company while he traveled. It always made her feel better when he wasn't near.

"Daylee?" Adam asked, now fully awake.

Silence.

"Daylee." Adam tried again.

Silence.

"Daylee Mari Hardy!" Daylee knew that the use of her middle name meant that she was in trouble, but she still didn't turn.

Finally, Adam climbed out of bed and made his way over to the toddler. She offered him a cursory glance, but that was all. He lifted her into his arms, and then the doll fell out of her little hands. He bent down and picked it up, handing it back to her. And then, he sat down on the bed and settled her on top of his stomach. She snuggled down, still not talking, but she made her plushie walk across his chest and neck. He offered her a little smile, which she returned wholeheartedly.

Then, the phone started to ring again. He was so tired, and he seriously contemplated just letting it ring. But something in his heart told him that he needed to answer it – that it could be a matter of life or death. With one hand slowly stroking Daylee's free-flowing brown curls, he answered. The man on the other end had barely gotten a sentence out before Adam's heart froze mid-beat. The phone fell out of his hand and hit the ground, hard. No. It was impossible. It couldn't be…

The man on the other end of the line was Matt Hardy, and he was calling to say that Jeff had had emergency surgery to reverse internal bleeding in his head over _six_ hours ago, and still hadn't woken up…

**OOOO**

Matt had agreed to watch Daylee until Jeff's condition could be further evaluated. Adam sat at Jeff's bedside, afraid that if he took his eyes off of the younger man for a second, he would vanish. Jeff's heart rate was steady and his breathing was even, which the doctor said was a good sign. But Adam knew the truth. The longer Jeff was out, the worse his situation would become. Adam gripped the motionless hand, heartbroken and terrified. Silently, Adam pleaded with him to open his eyes.

And then, he remembered what was in his pocket. Jeff's wedding ring. In all of the hustle, he must've forgotten about it! Hastily, he took it out and stared at it in amazement. The simplest show of love, of eternal affection, with a single word inscribed on the inside. 'Forever'. He and Jeff were meant to be together forever, just like the ring said. Adam stared at it for a few more minutes, his eyes scanning the beautifully ornate surface. And then, he took Jeff's limp hand in his and slid the ring on.

"I'm so sorry, Jeff. I never meant to hurt you. I _need_ you. I _need_ you to wake up. I _need_ you to make your stupid jokes that always make me laugh. I _need_ you to be there for Daylee. I _need_ you…" Tears streaked down his face as he stroked the motionless hand.

Adam liked to believe that Jeff could hear him, but to be honest, he wasn't sure. Jeff remained motionless, and soon the sound of his breathing was all that could be heard. He continued to pour out his soul to the man, only to receive silence in return. But soon enough, there were no more tears to be shed. So Adam came up with a new way to pass the time. He started to ask Jeff questions about what he was dreaming about, just to fill the silence, not really expecting and answer.

"Where are you? At the arena? The beach? At home?"

"Am I there? Is Daylee?"

"Are you happy?"

That seemed to be the question that was bothering him the most. Was Jeff happy? _With _him? _Without_ him? Did it even _matter_ anymore? He took a breath and ran a hand over his face, failing miserably at distracting himself from the truth. Fear turned his blood cold as he looked at the clock – it had been two hours. _Two more hours!_ Jeff hadn't even so much as _flinched!_ Adam took a shuddering breath, laying his head down next to Jeff's body and closing his eyes. Jeff's scent comforted him.

There was a knock on the door, but Adam didn't even notice. "Adam? The nurse told me you're in here. C'mon, it's time to go hom-,"

Jay's eyes widened as he beheld the scene. Both bodies seemed motionless to the untrained eye, but Jay _knew_ Adam. He could see the subtle shake of Adam's shoulders that told that he was crying. Jeff's left hand rested on Adam's blond head, the lithe fingers and chiped black nails nestled in the soft locks. Jay wanted to speak, but he knew that now was not the time. Maybe he had been wrong to try and come between them. And with that thought, he silently backed out of the room.

If he was meant to be with Adam, then he would have another opportunity. But if Jeff fucked things up a _second_ time, there would be no second chances. Adam deserved to be loved and appreciated for the rest of his life, and Jay wasn't afraid to do just that. Adam would always be his number one priority. And if taking care of that priority meant leaving him in someone else's care, than he would do just that. If only for Adam's sake… he would let him go one last time.

"_Jeffy."_ Adam whined, fisting the sheets in his hands. "Please… don't leave me. I need you. I only want you. So please, _please_, don't leave me."

**OOOO**

**A/N: **Well, we're widing down with the chapters. Only two left! Please review, and look for this story soon!

**Title:** The Peacemakers

**Rated:** T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s):** Jay/Adam, Bobby/Jeff

**Summary: **Bobby and Jeff have reached a breaking point in their relationship, and their recent feud on TNA isn't making it any better. And then, when Jeff leaves Bobby, it'll take Jeff's best friend (and his reluctant boyfriend) to help piece the puzzle back together.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s):** Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s): **Jeff/Adam, Jay/Adam

**Summary: **Jeff has been blatantly refusing intimate contact for over a month. It was all due to a careless comment by Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, he crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking his husband's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash

**Part:** 11/12

**OOOO**

Adam sat in the same rickety wooden chair that he had sat in when he first came to visit Jeff, nursing his fourth cup of coffee in the last three hours. Still, exhaustion tried to creep up on him, leaking into his bones and rotting away his resolve. All he wanted to do was be there for when his beloved woke up – _if_ he woke up at all – was that too much to ask for? He shifted a little, listening as the bones in his back cracked from underuse. He didn't know what day it was, so there was no way to tell how much time he had been there.

Jeff's condition hadn't worsened, but it hadn't become better either. His hand had flinched a little bit earlier, and a flicker of hope had burned bright in Adam's heart, but the movement had not come again and Adam let the hope be quenched by waves of remorse and sorrow. When Jeff woke up, Adam resolved to do whatever it took to show him that he wanted this. Them. Together. Whatever it took. And if Jeff never fully trusted him again, he could live with that. He deserved it, after all.

It was then that his phone started to buzz. The battery was about to die, but Adam couldn't care less. He looked at the Caller ID ~ Matt Hardy. Every night that Adam had stayed at the hospital with Jeff, Matt would call so that Daylee could say goodnight to them. The toddler didn't know exactly what was going on, but she understood enough to realize that her Daddy was very sick and was 'taking a nap'. Adam accepted the call, all at once hearing a cheery little voice come over the line.

"_Papa, Papa! How Daddy?"_ Daylee asked, her three-year-old drawl the most adorable thing that Adam had ever heard. He had to smile, even with the current situation.

"Daddy's still sleeping, baby." Adam answered sadly.

"_Well, did you try kissing him?"_ Daylee asked, as if this was the most obvious solution in the world. _"It's just like in Sleeping Beauty! Papa, you're da prince. Daddy is da princess. You kiss him, he wakes up."_

"Baby? Daddy is a boy… he can't be a princess."

"_But… but… he has so much hair! And he blond, just like da princess in da book. You his knight in shining armor! You save him, and then live happily ever after." _Daylee said matter-of-factly.

"You certainly do have an imagination, don't you little girl?"

"_Uh-huh."_ He could almost hear her nod.

Adam allowed a small smile to form. "Alright. And when Daddy is all better, I'll be sure that he sends a certain tickle monster after you…"

"_You wouldn't."_

"Oh, I would." Adam smiled evily. "G'night, baby-girl. I'll see you tomorrow, OK?"

"_OK, Papa. Nighty night."_

Adam turned his phone off and set it on the bedside table, before his eyes settled on Jeff once more. Could there be some truth behind what Daylee had said? At this point, was it so horrible to believe that there was some truth behind a fairytale? Maybe if he kissed Jeff, nothing would happen. But what if it was his last chance to _make_ something happen? Taking a breath, he leaned in close and pressed his forehead to Jeff's. The Enigma's skin was icy cold, as if he had been left out in the middle of a winter storm.

And then, he kissed him. An electric shock shot down his spine, and his eyes slowly fluttered closed. He had missed this feeling, even if Jeff was seemingly unattentive beneath him. After a few moments, Adam was about to give up. Jeff hadn't moved. But then, cold hands secured around his wrists and held him there. There was a slight pressure on his lips, and he opened his eyes to see warm, green eyes staring back at him. Warm, green eyes filled with confusion, hurt, and most of all… hope.

Adam pulled back, tears starting to fill his eyes. "Jeffy!"

"Why are you here, Adam?" Jeff asked, tension in his voice as he tried to blink away the pain in his temples. "I mean, shouldn't you be with Jay?"

"No. No, baby, no. I only want you. I'm never leaving again."

Jeff looked a little uncertain. "I hurt you and I… I deserved it. I deserved what you did. You should be with the one who makes you happy -,"

"_You_ make me happy, idiot." Adam said, kissing every inch of Jeff's face that he could. He studiously avoided the stitches. "I want to be with your forever. You, me, and Daylee – we're a family. I was a fool to risk that. And I don't care how long it takes. I'll make you believe me."

Jeff looked at him, uncertain. "I don't want to be hurt again, Adam. S-So please… mean what your saying. Don't walk a-away from me ag-again."

"Please don't cry, baby."

Jeff averted his eyes from Adam's, instead looking down at his hands. They knotted the material of the blanket slowly, tears streaking down his handsome face. It broke Adam's heart to see him like this. His beautiful, precious Jeffy. He was the kind of person that should never shed a tear. And it made Adam feel worse knowing that he was the cause. Carefully, he secured his arm around Jeff's shoulders and kissed his face again. Jeff took a shuddering breath, and Adam wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I promise that I will never leave you again. No matter what happens. We'll be together forever, just like our vows said. And even if you don't trust me now, I promise that I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you."

"Do you know what would make me really happy, Adam?" Jeff asked.

"What?" He asked, eager to please the ravenette.

"If you would just lay here and let me hold you. Just let me know that you're here. I'm so scared that I'll wake up a few hours from now and you'll be gone…" Jeff trailed.

"I can do that."

Adam carefully climbed onto the bed next to his husband, feeling the younger man's arms curl around him. They could talk about the future later. But for right now, they both fell into a contented sleep for the first time in weeks.

**OOOO**

**A/N: **One more chapter left! Please Review!


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Whispers In The Dark

**Rated: **T (Teen)

**Genre(s): **Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pair(s):** Jeff/Adam

**Summary:** Jeff has been blatantly refusing any kind of intimate contact for over a month. It's all because of a careless comment from Karen Jarret. And now, Adam is losing the man he loves. But one night, he crosses the line of no return with his best friend, officially breaking his husband's heart. Can they be saved?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anyone, besides my OCs.

**Warning: **Slash

**Part: **12/12

**A/N:** Sadly, this is the last chapter. But don't fret! I've saved the best news for last. You'll have to wait until the end to find out, however. I hope you all enjoy!

**OOOO**

**(One Year Later)**

"So, that's when I told him that he had to be the Prince and wake up the Princess with a kiss." Daylee said sweetly, her three-year-old lisp almost totally absent. She would turn four in three days.

Jeff looked at her, confused. "Since when am _I_ the Princess? I'll have you know that _that_ role, hands down, is your Papa's. I mean, seriously, can you see him running up ten bazillion flights of stairs, almost falling through a broken rope ladder, and _forgetting_ to slay the dragon?"

"Just like Shrek!" Daylee exclaimed excitedly.

"Excuse me!" Adam shrieked, looking mildly affronted. "I will _not_ stand by and be compared to a gigantic, _green_ ogre. That's just… that's just _mean_, you two."

"Come to think of it," Jeff locked eyes with Adam for a moment. "I can totally see him freaking out on the rope ladder. That would be hilarious, don't you think, baby-doll?"

"Yeah." Daylee chuckled.

Adam shook his head slowly, blond hair falling everywhere. "Now you're comparing me to a donkey! And you've turned her on me! That's not fair!" Adam pouted.

"I don't know, Daylee. Should we go easy on the _old_ man?" Jeff asked, sarcasm thick in his voice.

Daylee looked him over for a minute. "Nope!"

Adam frowned, but didn't comment. Instead, he went to take a bite of his marble ice cream. But Daylee was faster, her little hand dashing out and taking hold of the spoon before it could reach his mouth. And then, she turned it around and ate the icy cold confection. Adam couldn't help but stare as she went in for another bite… and another… until she had devoured his entire bowl of ice cream! What the hell? She didn't even _like_ ice cream! It didn't make it any better that Jeff was laughing like a madman, practically encouraging her actions. Jeff smoothed a hand over her brown curls with a soft smile. She became more and more like a Hardy every day.

"Papa?" Daylee widened her eyes, trying to perfect the patented 'Puss In Boots Eyes'. "Can I have a unicorn for my birthday? And Cody Rhodes? Pretty _please_?"

Adam looked at her skeptically. "I don't know. You stole all my ice cream."

"B-But how else will he propose to me, unless he comes to my birthday party?" Daylee started tearing, freaking out about her dream engagement. It never once crossed her mind that she was three, and couldn't be married.

"_I'm Daylee James-Hardy. Well, not anymore. As of last week, the name's Runnels."_

Adam's amused look fell off of him face, and he almost dropped the bowl that he was holding onto the floor. Luckily, Jeff saved it before it could take that unwanted trip. Soft, warm hands smoothed over his right arm, trying to comfort him and find out what had upset him so suddenly. But all Adam could think of was that dream that he had had. What if it wasn't a dream, but a premonition? What if his relationship with Jeff was unraveling with every second that passed, and when the opportunity arose, he would leave him in a heartbeat? What if he wanted… _Mickie_? Adam closed his eyes, forcing back the tears. No. They were meant to be together forever, and that was exactly what was going to happen.

"I'll go get Papa more ice cream. Will Papa invite Cody to my party?" Daylee asked, taking the bowl from her other father and moving into the kitchen.

"Sure, baby. I'll invite him tomorrow, OK?" Adam replied robotically.

When Daylee rounded the corner, going for the open container of ice cream on the counter, Jeff pressed his forehead to Adam's. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

Jeff blinked, a frown forming on his face. "You promised to never lie to me again. And I can tell that you're lying now. Do you want to change that answer, or what?"

"Nothing's wrong." Adam said again, this time less enthusiastic.

Daylee came back in, carrying the container of ice cream in her little hands. "I'm sorry, Papa. I couldn't work the scoop. So I thought that Daddy would let you break the rules just this once, and eat out of the container. Please, Daddy? It'll make Papa feel better."

Jeff offered him a little smile, even if it wasn't returned. "If it'll make him feel better, then he can eat it however he wants."

Carefully, Jeff lifted the child into his arms and smiled as she snuggled down into his chest. Her hands were cold from carrying the ice cream. He looked to Adam, wondering if he wanted to ask the question now or later. But once again, Adam was off in that far-off place that only Adam knew. Jeff felt his heart break at the idea that Adam didn't trust him enough to tell him what was wrong. Was this what Adam had felt like, day in and day out, for that month? If it was, then he knew that he could never fully forgive himself for putting his husband, his love through that kind of pain. He felt his heart clench painfully, and he pulled Daylee a little closer. He couldn't lose them again…

"Daylee, sweetheart." When Jeff finally had her attention, he continued. "What do you think of being a big sister?"

Daylee's eyes widened to the size of softballs. "Really, Daddy? Really? I get to have a sister to play dollies with, and to dress up in frilly stuff that Papa can't stand, and… and… and… do lots of other stuff with?"

"What would you do if it turned out to be a boy?"

"I guess I can't dress him up in pretty, frilly dresses, huh?" Daylee sighed, dejected.

Jeff smirked, kissing her forehead softly. "Just kidding, baby. It's a little girl. Her name's Dayla. Isn't that a pretty name?"

"Yeah." Daylee nodded.

"_Jeff? He's out with the old lady and their daughter, Dayla. They said not to expect them back until real late."_

More than anything, Adam wanted to be celebrating the news of the new baby with his family. But he couldn't help but pick up on all the odd little tidbits that were remniscent of his dream. Call him precautious or something else entirely, but something didn't seem right about this. His eyes followed Daylee as she ran around the room, already excited to meet her new sister. It was then that Adam reasoned that some questions would just have to wait…

**OOOO**

**A/N: **That's all for now! But wait, I have exciting news. The sequel is already in production. It will be posted before the end of the week!

_**Karen Jarrett returns. Where is her husband, and what will her return do to the family that seems to have just received it's foundation? Mickie decides that now is the best time to act on her feelings for Jeff. Will it be all or nothing… and will Adam find out? And tension is thick between Daylee and Dayla. Will sisterhood be all it's cracked up to be? Find out in…**_

**Whispers In The Dark Two: All or Nothing**


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